


Home is Where the Heart Is

by Lobotomite



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, is not at all canon compliant, set when Adam got out of prison back in 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 07:46:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11596137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lobotomite/pseuds/Lobotomite
Summary: Aaron is home, Adam is back, and Aaron hasn't felt this happy in a long, long time.





	Home is Where the Heart Is

Adam is back, and Emmerdale finally truly feels like home again.

It's not that he's been unhappy since coming home – god, no. It's brilliant being back with his family and being around familiar places, and culture, and language – it's everything he's been trying to pretend for so long he doesn't need. _Almost_ everything. But it's felt like a halfway point, almost, like he's been waiting for Adam to get out to start really living his life again – which, if he's honest, is exactly what he's been doing.

Because Adam – Adam was one of the very first people to make Emmerdale feel like home. He was the reason Aaron came back in the first place. He was a reason – not the only reason, but a big one – that Aaron decided to stay. To move forward, it's only right that Adam is there with him.

So he muddled around at the garage – and, okay, messed up a bit, with Ross and Charity and that wanker Robert – to get them some money, to fund what they've been talking about ever since Aaron decided to stay – making a proper go of things, starting a business, turning their lives around _together_.

Yeah, maybe not the together that Aaron had always quietly – and not so quietly – wanted, but he's long since learnt to live with that. And right now, messing about in the pub with Adam, Moira smiling fondly at them over her pint and his mum puttering about behind the bar, he's never been happier.

Adam is especially buoyant today, drunk off freedom more than the few beers he's had, bouncing around their little corner of the room and constantly showering Aaron in affection; throwing his arm around his shoulders for a brief hug, bumping their arms together just to give him a bright grin, smacking his hand against Aaron's back in congratulation when he makes a good throw with his dart or in celebration when Adam himself does.

Aaron isn't the only one on the receiving end of Adam's enthusiastic affection, of course – Moira has been the frequent receiver of hugs and kisses, and Chas easily wrangles a cuddle every time she brings more drinks over. He still drinks it in, the special affection that only he gets, the pleased feeling bubbling in his chest that results from casual physical contact with someone he trusts implicitly, that results from having a good time with his best friend.

Moira doesn't stay for too long – she does have work to do, after all, as she reminds them with an eye roll at Adam's pout – and Adam eventually gets bored of darts, pulling Aaron into the back of the Woolpack with a cheerful wave at Chas.

"Do I need to be worried about you luring me away from witnesses?" Aaron teases, and Adam just rolls his eyes, falling onto the couch and stretching out.

"Nah, mate, we just don't want any of those vultures in there stealing our brilliant business plans, do we?" Aaron snorts, settling down beside him and kicking his feet up onto the table in front of them.

"How many times do I have to tell you that your fashion label isn't going to work out?"

"You're just jealous I'm the creative brains of this operation," Adam says with a mock grumpy look on his face, and Aaron just rolls his eyes.

"We haven't even started and we're already fucked." Adam smacks him on the arm, unable to hold back his grin, and then twists slightly so he's facing Aaron and sobers slightly.

"Really though, mate, I was – I wanted to talk to you, you know, about what we're going to do." He looks nervous, fidgeting with the beer in his hands, and Aaron places his own on the table, dropping his legs down and turning as well so they're facing each other properly, his brow creased slightly.

"Right?"

"I just... I did a lot of thinking, while I was inside. You know, about – well, about a lot of things, but mainly about... about how I need to get my shit together. And what it is that I really want."

This is hardly new information; it's what they've been talking about nearly every time Aaron visited, after all. But the way Adam is looking increasingly nervous, the way his eyes keep sliding from Aaron's to look at the room behind him, he can't help but think that maybe Aaron's presence in those plans isn't wanted as much as Aaron had hoped.

_Let him finish before you go putting words in his mouth,_ he growls to himself, shoving his uneasy feelings down and fighting to keep his face neutral, and he nods encouragingly for Adam to continue.

"Okay. Well it's – me pulling my finger out, and us getting a- a business or something going, obviously I thought about that." Aaron doesn't miss the 'us', and the tightness in his chest lessens somewhat. "But I also... I thought about what I wanted my life to be like, a year from now, ten years from now, whatever, and I thought about what's most important to me. About _who_ is. And I..." he's not looking at Aaron at all now, gaze fixed firmly on the floor, and Aaron has to admit he has absolutely no idea where this is going. "It's... fucking hell, this went a lot better in my head," he says, laughing nervously and looking up at Aaron.

Aaron gently kicks at Adam's foot, encouraging him wordlessly to keep going, and Adam takes a deep breath, putting his beer down on the table and sitting up straight.

"Right. Okay. I just- not having you around these last few years, it was fucking awful. I hated it, and I didn't even realise how much I missed you until you were back in Emmerdale, but the idea of you not being there in my future, it fucking kills me, bro," he says in a rush, eyes wide and sincere, and Aaron can't help the way the corners of his mouth pull up. He's about to reassure Adam that he's not planning on going anywhere, but Adam keeps going, obviously determined to get something off his chest.

"This might – maybe I'm just being greedy, and selfish, and I know that – that I had my chance, a long time ago, and it's not like I'm not _happy_ , being your best mate, but I can't – I can't just not try now that I know," he says without so much as a breath in the middle, and Aaron leans forward, concerned.

"Mate, I have no idea what you're on about," he says – which is a lie and not, because he knows what that stupid, ever hopeful part of himself thinks Adam might be talking about, but Adam is straight, and too good for him besides – and Adam rolls his shoulders, looking annoyed at himself.

"Right. Okay. Look, this is – there's no pressure, okay? I'm just - I'm gonna..." He makes an aborted half gesture towards Aaron, and then steels himself and reaches out properly, broad palm cupping the back of his neck, and Aaron's brain is screaming it's usual mantra - _don't misinterpret, don't misinterpret, don't misinterpret_ \- right up until the second their lips meet.

There was never any possibility of him doing anything other than kissing Adam back, leaning into him and pressing his hand onto Adam's shoulder, and it feels right and good and easy.

Adam's mouth feels as good as he'd always quietly, guiltily thought it would, and they fit together easily, naturally. Adam's eyes are bright and hopeful when they pull apart, other hand coming up so that he's cupping Aaron's face, and they smile stupidly at each other for a second before Adam finds his voice.

"So uh. Wanna date?" he asks, and Aaron laughs and nods, not trusting his voice, smiling so hard his face hurts.

Adam is beaming and looking at him like he hung the moon, like _Aaron_ is the one who's just done something wonderful, his chest is tight in the best way, like he's full to bursting with happiness, he can hear his mum laughing in the other room, and he's planning his future with his best friend – his _boyfriend_.

God, it's good to be home.


End file.
